I've had a broken F4 in my drawer for a few years. It was a minor problem but would require more than I could buy another used body for. I wish now I'd documented the teardown. I was truly impressed by how much stuff Nikon got in that body. Real metal gears, tons of electronics, springs upon springs. I've taken other camera apart but this on was the best ever. We are all amazed at the $6,0000 cost of a new D4 but I'd guess if Nikon wanted to put the F4 back into production I'd cost $10,000 to build one today. I'd use this camera for close to 20 years never had it CLA'd and the insides were clean. I'm now planning mount the parts on a board and frame them.

To take it completely apart to the last screw took 5 hours. That included having to force a few parts to speed it up.

I once saw a cutaway drawing of the insides of the camera I had at the time - an Olympus OM1 (full mechanical manual camera) and thought the same. When I saw a journalists OM1 that was all dented and smashed from riot work but still working perfectly, I was truly impressed!

Back in the day @ the Nikon House in Rockefeller Center,N.Y.C. they had a few F3 goodies. One was an F3 body & lens cut in half. Next they had an F3 body unassembled(every srew etc...)in a large frame. Wish I had those items in my collection!

crizman said:
Back in the day @ the Nikon House in Rockefeller Center,N.Y.C. they had a few F3 goodies. One was an F3 body & lens cut in half. Next they had an F3 body unassembled(every srew etc...)in a large frame. Wish I had those items in my collection!

When did the Nikon House close? I really wanted to go see it a couple years back, partly because my D40 needed a cleaning, but I think it was long closed even then.

msmoto said:
I am guessing the photos will come after the parts are mounted in a very nice frame.....what "framer" does for a living, apparently. ???

Yes, photographer turned picture framer 35 years ago. The photography business is not as easy as some think it is. It was morning to midnight sometime 7 days a week. I got into framing, got a life and a new wife.